Francis Coquelin (R) of Arsenal and Yannick Sagbo of Hull jump for the ball during their FA Cup third round soccer match at the Emirates Stadium in London, January 4, 2015.
Francis Coquelin (R) of Arsenal and Yannick Sagbo of Hull jump for the ball during their FA Cup third round soccer match at the Emirates Stadium in London, January 4, 2015. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett

West Ham's New Zealand defender Winston Reid, 26, has emerged as the most credible link to make up the numbers at the centre-back position for Arsenal. Arsenal are woefully short of numbers and have just six fit defenders to play for the rest of the season. Reid, whose contract is up this summer has flatly refused to sign a new contract.

Arsene Wenger has been an admirer of the New Zealand defender and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that Reid might leave the West-London club soon. He was left out of the starting line up in the last match. The stumbling block for the deal to go through is the £8m transfer fee that West Ham have demanded from the Gunners. Arsenal value him in the range of £4-£5M. West Ham have already lined up a replacement in Nigerian international Azubuike Egwuekwe.

The second point of business that Arsenal so desperately wanted to complete is the signing of a defensive midfielder. All year they have been linked to German international Sami Khadira of Real Madrid as well as French international Morgan Schneiderlin of Southampton. The deals have never really gained any sort of traction. Now with Francis Coquelin coming back from loan and performing Arsene Wenger might not need to spend anymore. "Having to find solutions internally is a blessing. And at the moment it works", Wenger said after Coquelin produced another sublime performance in a two goal victory against Manchester City.

With Francis Coquelin's contract up this summer and with considerable interest coming from elsewhere the club and the player's agents have started negotiating a new contract. Another player who is still linked to Arsenal is Villarreal's centre-half Gabriel. The Spanish club wants Arsenal to meet the defender's buyout clause of £20M for the deal to go through.

To contact the author of this article email a.biswas@IBTimes.com.au

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